08x07 - Folie a Deux

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "Law & Order: Criminal Intent". Aired: September 30, 2001 – June 26, 2011.*
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NYPD detectives of the Major Case Squad use unconventional methods to solve crimes.
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08x07 - Folie a Deux

Post by bunniefuu »

Narrator: In New York City's
w*r on crime,

the worst criminal offenders

are pursued by the detectives
of the major case squad.

These are their stories.

So you're aunt wants
to see the baby.

I don't see why
that's a problem.

Because it's the last
thing I wanna do, that's why.

So just call her
and tell her you can't make it.

She'll understand.

Sometimes I'd like to live
on your planet.

Hey, I'm sorry.

You know how crazy
my aunt makes me.

She wants what she wants
when she wants it.

Emma's gonna miss you.
All right, wish me luck.

Good luck.

Hey, Lucy.

Have a good night.
I'll see you tomorrow.

Oh--hold it.
[Laughs]

Ah.
Gracias.

How's my aunt?
She's tired.

She's been with the doctor
all afternoon.

Doctor? What's wrong?
She's not well.

What about her mood?

What you'd expect.

I expected to see her,
Andre.

The baby has a cold.

I decided
it was best to let her sleep.

Your hotel's not that far.
I'll just get my coat.

No, no, you can't afford
to catch what she has.

It's been six months.

I want to see her tomorrow.
No excuses.

[Knocking]

Yes?

Sorry. I must have
the wrong room.

[Beeping]

You'd better hurry.
It's getting late.

Don't worry.
She's fine.

I don't wanna keep Celia
waiting.

I told my aunt
we'll bring Emma by tomorrow.

Is this too much?
Emily has heart problems.

It's serious.

You know what, I'm really not
in the mood for Celia tonight.

I haven't seen Celia
in over six months.

She's my best friend, Andre.

Please?

For me?

Whoa! Not now, sweetie.
Settle down.

Okay.

I won't be too late,
all right?

You have my cell phone number?

When Andre reads
his poetry to her,

she smiles from here to here.

Oh, I can't wait
to see her.

It's been way too long.

I can't believe
how great you look.

Yeah, well, nothing like
a good, juicy divorce

to take off the pounds.

You're better off
without him.

Tell her how great she looks.

You know, I--
I don't trust this thing.

I'm gonna go check on her.

He worries so much.
Should I go?

That's okay.
I'll be right back.

Is something...Wrong?

No. He's probably just
going out for a smoke.

A number of other rooms
on the fifth floor

were also robbed--
what are you gonna do about it?

Police are on their way, sir.

For what you people charge,

you'd think someone would be
able to step up--

I've been here six years.

Nothing like this has ever
happened before.

That's supposed
to make me feel better?

You're not the only one, sir.

A number of rooms
on the fifth floor were robbed.

And because a number of rooms
on the fifth floor--

what about my watch?
I understand.

What about the cash?

And there's no guy?

There are a lotta guys,
but there's no...Guy.

I don't know what I'd do
without Andre.

[Cell phone rings]

Hi!

Emma?

Is she okay?
Is she okay?

Where is she?

Somebody took her.

She's gone.

[Whispering]
Emma's gone.

Initial canvass
from 59th to 69th

and from east end to 5th.

Security videos?
Running 'em down as we speak.

I notified Taru.

They've opened
a kidnapping desk.

Level one mobilization.

Six rooms were hit in all.

Lotsa cash, jewelry.

What?
It's a glass fragment.

I'm gonna go talk
to the parents.

They're in the room
next door.

I came up to check on her
at 8:15.

I think it was
closer to 8:30.

What difference
does it make?

How does something
like this happen?

You're gonna find her,
right?

You're gonna
bring her back safe?

Right now I have to ask you
to try to remember

everything you can.

Well, we were downstairs.
We were all having dinner.

Before that,
did you receive any calls?

Just Celia.

Visitors?

And you're sure you locked up
when you left.

Of course I'm sure.

I knew we shouldn't
have left her alone.

We'll need
a picture of Emma.

Anything more recent?

This is from last week.

Where was that taken?
That's Kent, Connecticut.

It's our backyard.

I thought it was safe.
This is a good hotel.

I put the sign on the door.
I checked the thermostat.

Thermostat?

We wanted to make sure
she was warm.

Sure.
Emma was ill?

She may have been
coming down with a cold, yeah.

[Exhales] Oh, god.

We know this is
difficult for you.

But if it is a kidnapping,
someone may try to contact you.

So it's best if you stay here,
at least until we know more.

It's gonna be okay.

They leave their kid alone

so they can have
a quiet dinner?

People just don't think.

Lucy Valdez.

She's been a maid here
for three years,

never a problem.

All our staff are bonded.

Her master was used
on all the rooms that were hit.

And 20 others.
That's her job.

And what time
was the key card used?

Punch up 519, please.

Room 519.
That's the Haslums.

She opened the door
at 7:22.

The next time the door
was opened was 8:36.

The Haslums'' key.

Valdez, you said.
That's right, Lucy.

Looks like she clocked out
at 7:01.

We'll need a home address.

Thanks, Lucy.
Just wait here.

Maid's key card
was used twice that night.

She claims
she only used it once.

Boyfriend?
Alibied until 11:00 P.M.

You're right about
the glass fragments.

Found 'em in all six rooms
that were hit.

Could have been tracked in
by the burglar's shoes.

Forensics is running
gas chromatography

as per your request.

Thanks, man.

So we got this key card
from the maid's locker.

Now, we tested it, and it
doesn't fit in any of the doors.

Someone swapped cards.
Yeah.

It was last used by Marvin
cutler from summit, New Jersey,

when he checked into
the hotel two weeks ago.

And we know this how?
'Cause it's on here.

Name, address,
credit card information.

Don't leave your key card
in your room when you check out.

Unfortunately, Mr. Cutler
reported his wallet stolen

two hours before someone
used his credit card

to check into
the Barton hotel.

What do you have here?

Lucy wasn't lying about
the guy in the hat.

She claims he talked her up
in the elevator.

And watch this.
Look at his other hand.

That's where she said
she kept her key.

Now follow his left hand.

He swaps cards.
Did he go back upstairs?

Unfortunately, we never
actually get to see his face.

None of the hotel employees
can identify him off this tape.

The old "I left my phone
in my room" line.

That duffle bag
is big enough

to hold
an 18-month-old child.

All those people.

Maybe one of them
knows where she is.

Hey, we have to trust
the police.

How would they get her
out of the room?

You think they hurt her?
God, do you think--

no.
That's not what happened.

Okay? She's all right.
I can't help it, Andre.

I keep thinking of Emma
in the ground.

Stop it.
I keep thinking of Emma.

She's all right.

Hey, we'd feel it
if something was wrong.

Nothing's wrong.

That's right.
They'll find her.

They will.

I'm telling the cops
we're staying at Celia's.

Here, hold this.

It smells like her.

Hey.

We'll be okay.

So this on the hat here...

It's the Miami flame.

Okay, so the victimology
is pretty nondescript,

except for this.

He has an aunt,
Emily Huntford,

old money--emphasis on money.

Up near 75 mil.

She lives at 948 5th.

That's our nest.

Emily?

Are you all right?

George is my secretary.
You can speak freely.

Okay. We have reason
to believe it was a kidnapping

for a ransom.

Because they know
who I am?

Was there anyone
you might have told

your nephew
was coming into town,

someone who would have known
where he was staying?

I made Andre's reservation,

um, using her credit card,
of course.

Emily, you should be in bed.
Stop it, George.

Well, if I don't worry
about you, who will?

Just go home.
Your boyfriend's in from London.

I shouldn't have
called you.

Stuart can take care
of himself.

I'll make coffee.

Emma. She's the only
child in our family.

She's named after me,
you know?

The glass fragments
are totally ordinary.

Could be from a beer bottle,
a window, a vase.

What's that?
That's not ordinary.

On most of the fragments,

we detected traces
of styrene and isobutylene.

Chemicals found in
the manufacture of Styrofoam.

And the flags indicate
all factories

that manufacture Styrofoam.

Great. Where do we start?

Well, the burglar
used credit cards

which were stolen
from Marvin cutler

who lives in summit.

Let's go to Newark.

In Jersey,
you root for Miami,

it's kinda like rootin'
for Iraq,

but, you know, Markie, he--
he bangs his own drum.

Yo, Markie.

Got a couple
of Miami fans here for you.

Stop! Police!

Suspect is on the move.

[Tires squealing]

[Tires screeching]

Put your hands
where we can see them!

What do you want from me?
There is no kid.

We have you on the security
tape from the hotel,

Mr. Carston.

No, you've got a guy
in a Miami flame hat.

We know that you were busted
12 years ago

for a break-in
at a jewelry store on 46th.

Charges dropped.

Also at an antique store
on park Avenue south.

That's two years later.

And graduated
Stuyvesant high

where I was the punter
on the freshman football team.

Someone at the Barton hotel
is going to recognize you.

Yeah, I've got
one of those faces, don't I?

Look, I know how this works.
Really?

Well, then you know
that kidnapping

is a class a violent felony.

We're talking life.

I didn't take a baby.

I've got kids of my own,
for Christ's sakes.

You know, uh...

I believe you.

It's just that right now,
that's not good enough.

You need to prove it.

We know you were
in the hotel room.

[Laughs] Right.

We're here because we can
prove you were there.

Okay.

That doesn't make me
a kidnapper.

Did you see the baby?
I'm not stupid.

I do not mess with kids.

Still not good enough.

Okay.

Lotsa jewelry, antiques.

But there's no sign
that the kid's been here.

You know, this kidnapping's
very uncharacteristic

for a--a pro like Carston,

but maybe he found a partner
who wouldn't mind the risk.

Or maybe the burglary

was just a decoy
for the kidnapping.

Could be anything.
None of it looks good for Emma.

...two words that should
never go in the same sentence.

No, it's not right.
Children don't die.

Children don't die.
It's not right.

Children don't die.

Children don't die.
It's not right.

Children don't die.
[Muttering]

It's not right.

That's not right.
Children don't die.

Not right.
Not right.

Hey.
[Rattling]

Here are your pills.

Calista, you gotta take
your medication.

I see what this is about.

You don't trust me.

That's not true.

I trust you.

I swear.

You should know by now...

[Chuckles]

The only way we can get
through this is together, okay?

[Telephone ringing]

If it is the guy,
remember what I told you.

Keep him on as long
as possible.

Play for time.

You need a few days
to get money, stock, whatever.

Yes?

We have your little girl,
and we're willing to hurt her.

Who is this?

You can have her back
for $2 million.

You have 24 hours.

Is she all right?
I want to talk to her!

Get the money.

Well, it'll take
a few days.

It's all tied up
in trust accounts.

Tomorrow.

Get the damn money,
or she's dead.

[British accent]
Right. Well, that's that.

This was a mistake.

I don't wanna
do this anymore.

You will do this.

Before we do anything else,

it's important that we get
proof Emma is alive.

$2 million
is meaningless to me.

I won't take the chance
they'll hurt her.

What kind of proof?
Talking to her would be good.

I'll be at the bank
as soon as it opens.

Emily, you should be in bed.

Hopefully,
we'll have better luck

when they call next time.

Emily will pay,

and things
will go back to normal.

She loves Emma
like she was her own.

So there's just...

One more question,
Mrs. Haslum,

and then we'll--
we'll leave you.

Does the name Mark Carston
mean anything--

I'm sorry, detective,
my wife isn't well.

Calista, that's the thief
from the hotel.

How could he place the call
if he was still in jail?

Well, when, um...

We spoke to the man,
he said "we have Emma,"

so we were thinking that maybe
Carston has a partner.

Well, neither of us has heard
of him before tonight, so...

He was very quick
to keep her from talking to us.

You think they actually
know Carston?

I think that a burglary
and a kidnapping

happening at the same place,
same time

is a huge coincidence.

The Haslums actually
kidnapped their own kid

to milk the aunt.

Maybe they're working
with Carston.

Maybe they used his crime
as an opportunity.

Either way, if it's true,

the money trail
should lead back to them.

I don't think they're gonna
make any money

on Andre's poetry.

At new England trust,
their money market is $4,321.

In checking, $2,697.

No brokerage accounts
that I could find.

Any debt?
Not even a mortgage.

They rent in Connecticut
for 750 a month.

They filed a joint return
a year ago.

No taxes due.

They both worked?

Just Andre.

He taught at Hillis College.

W-What's that?
It's up in Yonkers.

Look, we're not listed in
the top 100 American colleges.

Okay, if you listed
the top 500,

we still wouldn't make it.

Believe me, Andre let us
know about it too.

So he didn't like it here.
What's not to like?

Two classes a week.
Lot of freshmen women.

[Scoffs]
There were rumors, okay?

He was already married
to Calista back then,

wasn't he?

Sure was.
She was a piece of work too.

She'd park that b*at-up Chevy

in front of
the English department

and sit there all day.

With the baby.
Baby, bottles, diapers.

You name it.

Andre's last semester
last summer,

it really got outta hand.

He'd come out after class.
She'd cause a scene.

If she couldn't find him,

she'd search all the motels
in the area.

What the hell?
He called himself a poet.

Crazy women are part of
the job description.

Called himself a poet?

He published a poem in
our quarterly literary journal.

Turns out he didn't write it.
Robert Herrick did.

Is that why you fired him?

No. Don't get me wrong--

plagiarism is a capital offense
even at Hillis.

Only Andre
was one step ahead of us.

He quit before
we ever caught him on it.

One day he just stopped
showing up--

no call, no letter,
no forwarding address.

'Scuse me.

Paying jobs for bad poets
are few and far between.

[Cell phone rings]
And the guy just quits

for no reason.

Goren.

Astor place?
Yeah, we're on our way.

9:30 A.M.

The trashcan on the northwest
corner of Astor place.

If I see any cops,
I will hurt the girl,

and nobody will have
a very happy Christmas.

[Click]

GPS is working.
All set.

Heads up.

All right, take it easy.

We're gonna need him
to lead us to the kid.

False alarm.
Yeah, okay, stand down.

That's him.

The subway.
GPS won't work down there.

Keep the northeast entrance,
northwest entrance covered.

All other officers, down
to the Astor place platform now.

Oh, we lost him.

Keep a visual.

[Chuckling]
I love it!

They're probably in the Bronx
following their shopping bag.

What did we learn today?

Never underestimate me,
that's what.

[Clatter]

Don't move.
Get on your knees, now!

Where's the baby?
We don't have her, I swear!

I knew it was going
to go wrong.

You said happy Christmas
on the phone.

That's British.

We say merry Christmas here.

What did you tell them?
Nothing!

Place is clean.
No kid.

[Exhales]

It's not what you think.

Stop that...Please?

[Exhales]

We didn't hurt anybody.

I just wanted
what was mine, okay?

I've run her life
for five years.

"Georgie, do this, do that.

I'm lonely, Georgie.
Don't go."

I went to tufts,
for crying out loud!

A poet?
Oh...[Laughing]

Oh, give me a break.

He's...
He's gonna get everything.

He's her family.

All he does is send photos
of the little girl.

I take care of Emily!

I care about her.

And...all I wanted was
for her to care about me.

He didn't do anything
to Emma.

May I talk to him?

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

You were all
I had left, George.

I know all Andre wants
is my money.

I'm not like that.
No?

You betrayed me.

I was gonna take care of you.
No.

I was there, remember?

I was there to witness
your will.

[Laughs]

But you never saw
my trust documents.

[Sniffles]
You're a fool, George.

All you would have had to do
was wait for another few months.

I'll get you a lawyer.
That's all I can do for you now.

It's almost 48 hours,
and those guys are a dead end.

The Haslums'' hotel room
door was open at 7:22.

That was Carston.

Okay, and then again
at 8:36.

That was Andre.

Now, Carston's a pro.

He would have closed
the door behind him.

No one else was in the room.

So what are we missing?
We've been all over that hotel.

Security videos,
elevator shafts,

furnace, laundry--
the windows don't open.

As far as I can tell,

there's no way anyone can
get the kid outta that hotel.

Maybe they never brought
the kid into the hotel.

So where the hell is she?

So you didn't see Emma
in the city.

Emma's dead, isn't she?

Why would you say that?

Because it's been two days.

Calista is so fragile.

That child was everything...
Her world.

I don't know how
she's gonna deal with this.

You know she was hospitalized
once before they were married.

Emotional problems?

There was a bad spell
last summer.

Andre had to leave his job.

Teaching at Hillis College.

So this book is...

It's signed by the poet.

It's probably gonna be
worth something someday.

He hasn't published

since they moved up
to the middle of nowhere.

You saw them up in Kent?

No, I--so far and...
My work.

[Footsteps]

Hopefully,
she'll sleep now.

I honestly don't know
if she can go through it again.

Again?

Well, first you said
it was a robbery,

and then a kidnapping,

a--a ransom payoff...

And still no Emma.

Your aunt...She never
had children, right?

No, she didn't.

Think of all that
money, you know...

[Laughs]

I've read the Iliad

in the original attic Greek,
detective.

If you wanna trip me up,

you'll have to be a little
more subtle than that.

That's...actually
Homeric Greek, but--

I should know!

Andre, they're not
accusing you of anything.

Yes, they are.

And, yes, I take her money.
She's happy to give it to me.

It's called patronage.

It's respected,
and it's as old as the arts.

Patronage.

I'd say staging a kidnapping
is more like extortion.

Well, maybe Andre's aunt
invited them here

so she could see Emma
before she d*ed.

But if Andre knew
his aunt was failing,

there'd be no point--

yeah, but say
he didn't know.

Maybe she threatened to cut him
out of her will.

You know, let's say they
staged the dinner with Celia

for an alibi
and they act out the kidnapping.

The burglary's a coincidence.

So it's not about how they
got Emma out of the hotel

because they never
brought her to New York.

Emma certainly
lived the life.

How old do you think
Emma is in this picture,

five, six months?

Give or take.

They have more toys
than Fao Schwarz,

but they don't
baby-proof the house?

Hey, what's wrong
with this picture here?

No swings.

There's one in
the neighbor's yard.

I get sad
just thinkin' about her.

What about Andre?
How do you spell pompous?

Did Emma play
in your backyard?

I assume she did.
A lot of kids do.

But you don't know for sure?

Melanie and I split up,
what...About a year ago.

Rather than move Annie--
that's our two-year-old--

she stays here,
and we alternate.

It's the new math.

Do you know what color
hair Emma has?

No? You don't.

Do you know what
she called Calista?

Uh, was it mom or mama...

Mommy?

You don't.

Okay, maybe I'm not
as neighborly as I should be.

I work.

And when I'm actually permitted
to live in my own house,

I spend all my time
with Annie.

You've never even
seen Emma, have you?

I must have.

In any case,
I'm sure Annie has.

Could we meet Annie?

Annie?

Annie? Come here, honey.

Oh!

We're very...

Sorry to have to tell you
this.

We've talked
to every pediatrician

in and around
Kent, Connecticut,

and none of them
have ever treated Emma.

Now, we found prescriptions
in your nephew's house

written over a year ago
by a doctor in Yonkers,

and they'd never
been refilled.

[Whispers] Please, stop.

Something happened
to Emma, Mrs. Huntford,

and it wasn't
at the Barton hotel.

Do you have any idea

what it's like to have
everything taken away?

My husband had a stroke
at his desk ten years ago.

I'll be gone
in a matter of months.

What good did all his money
do me, hmm?

There's no kid?

The photos were of
the neighbors' little girl.

No one's actually seen Emma
for six months.

So they stage a kidnapping

to cover up whatever
was done to that child.

Yes. I mean...

Mainly for the benefit
of Andre's aunt.

You see,
Emma's the golden goose.

It's Andre's only chance
of inheriting the money.

And the mother went along?

Yeah. My guess is
Calista had no choice.

She's emotionally fragile,
and I think Andre fed on that.

We found baby powder
that was never opened,

pampers that were never used,
toys never played with.

She believed Emma was alive.

Out of guilt or remorse
of--of longing,

I think Calista
needs the illusion.

It's a variation
of folie a deux.

And you're going
to prove that...How?

We'll...destroy
the illusion.

The longer Emma's gone,
the more likely it is that--

no, it's too early.
Don't say that.

[Doorbell rings]

It's something
we may have to face.

What's going on?

Is there news?
We found Emma.

What?

I'm sorry.

"Sleep no pain shall wake."

Our child is dead,
and you're quoting my work?

Well, it's in your book,
but it's not your work.

In fact, it's...
Christina Rosetti's.

How dare you speak
to him like that.

You don't know
how we've suffered.

Our child is gone.

I know she is.

Last summer.

When things went...Wrong?

Isn't that right,
Mrs. Haslum?

Whenever there's a question
about Emma, you look to him.

And you always have an answer.

Your life with Andre,

t-the poems
that he wrote for you

and the love
that you shared with him...

Did that end
after you had Emma?

My daughter meant
everything to me.

You can't fault me for that.

I'm not faulting you.
I mean...

Y-You gave her so much.
Was there anything left for him?

Stop this!
He knows nothing about us.

Well, now, see...
That fury there.

That--that's what happens

when you start to feel
ignored?

I-Is that what drives you...

After other women?

You know the poems
that he wrote were for them,

not for you.

Is that how it all
went wrong last summer?

I need you to tell me
about Emma's last day.

Did you go looking
in the wrong motel?

Maybe if you knew...

Who he was with...
How--how could you?

So many women
available to him.

And not just students.

Let me read you something.

It says...

"What music have I sipped
from your siren eyes."

Andre, your husband,

inscribed this book

and gave it to Celia.

Were you with him
that day?

I'm so sorry.

It was afternoon...

Midsummer in Yonkers.

It was a terribly hot day.

Right?
Yeah...

I b*rned my feet
on the pavement.

I left my shoes
at the house.

I was so anxious to find him,
I went everywhere.

I knocked on doors
at all the motels.

You left Emma in the car.

Yeah, but I left
the air conditioning on.

Checked it like you checked
the thermostat

in the hotel room?

Yeah. I would have never
left her in the car

without the air conditioning.

How could I know that
the engine was gonna die?

Calista, shut your mouth.

Her skin was so hot
to the touch, it was white.

She didn't move.

I took her home
and put her in her room

and...pulled down the shade
so it was cool and dark,

and when Andre came home,
he...looked at her.

He said I did the right thing.

He said everything
would be okay

if we didn't tell anyone.

He said Emma was alive
and all I had to do

was believe him.

But Emma is dead.

She's dead.

I k*lled her.

Sheriff in south Salem
found the remains

about 10 yards into the woods

on the property
of an Emily Huntford.

That's the little girl's
great-aunt.

Well, it appears
they wrapped her in this...

And they found this
with the remains.

Looks like a poem.

"It's not death
who holds thee, it's love."

Yeah. It's stolen.

It's
Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Guy couldn't even be original
for his own daughter.
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